CHAPTER XXVIII

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

They found Mr. Bell in much the same condition as before, though Mr. Snodgrass said the wounded man's breathing was a little easier, which was a good sign.

"And what about the mine?" asked the naturalist. Jerry told him the lawyer was coming.

"I'm afraid it will be of little use," said the professor. "Nestor says they had a big lawyer to represent the gang, and they also have a large force in charge of the mine, taking out gold."

"And it's our gold," exclaimed Jerry. "Oh, why didn't we get back sooner?"

"It wouldn't have done much good," spoke Nestor. "I did all I could, but the law was on their side."

"Of course, I didn't mean that you failed," Jerry hastened to add, for fear of hurting the old miner's feelings. "It's too bad, that's all."

After a somewhat gloomy dinner, which the professor tried to liven up by telling jokes and funny stories, Jerry oiled the machine, and, about two o'clock started back to town for the lawyer. He found the attorney waiting for him, with several big law books in a valise.

"Any luck?" asked Jerry.

"Not a great deal," was the answer.

"Well, don't tell us until we are all together," went on Jerry. "I don't want to stand it all alone."

When, on arrival at Nestor's cabin, the lawyer proceeded to tell what he had learned, there were six very attentive listeners.

The attorney went over the ground carefully, and told the boys, Nestor and Professor Snodgrass, much that they had already heard. How, because of a missing owner who held more than a half interest in the mine, the title was not good when the boys preƫmpted it. In fact it was still the property of others, though about to lapse.

"I don't understand all them legal terms," put in Nestor, "but didn't we make a good claim to the government for that mine?"

"You did, as far as it went," replied the lawyer. "Uncle Sam gave you a title, but did not guarantee that some one did not have a better one, which it seems is the case."

"But that gang hasn't a good title either, not if the owner of over half the shares is missing," went on Nestor.

"No, but it seems, according to the records, that they have some sort of an agreement from this missing man that they are empowered to work the claim until he comes to demand his share."

"If that's the case I'm for going up there and driving them out with a gun!" exclaimed Nestor. "They haven't any more right than we have, and we can at least make them go shares with us until this missing man shows up. What's the matter with attacking them to-night."

"If you're going to resort to lawless means I'll have to throw up the case," said the attorney. "That is no way to talk."

"Nestor doesn't mean it at all," put in Jerry. "Of course we will have no battle with that gang."

"There are two ways we might proceed," the lawyer went on. "There may be more, but they are the only ones that suggest themselves to me from what time I was able to give to the case."

"What would you advise?" asked Mr. Snodgrass.

"You can apply to the courts for an injunction to prevent the working of the mine until the missing half-owner shows up."

"But that would bar us as well as them," put in Jerry.

"Yes, it would have that effect, if you secured the injunction, which is doubtful. It would be a long and costly litigation, I fear."

"And what is the other plan?"

"You might try to find the missing man, and buy him out, or make some arrangement with him. From what I can learn he and the others have quarreled and are opposed to each other."

"Where is the missing man?" asked Bob.

"That is something on which I can not be of the least help to you," was the reply. "There is nothing to show where he is."

"Then it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack to search for him, and as long and costly as the injunction means," commented Mr. Snodgrass.

"I'm afraid it would," was the lawyer's answer.

"What is the man's name?" asked Jerry.

"I have it here," proceeded the attorney. "It is Mr. Well, no, that's not it. Oh yes! Here it is. Bell, that's it. Mr. Jackson Bell."

"What?" fairly shouted the three boys at once.

"What name?" inquired the professor, wondering if he had heard aright.

"Jackson Bell," repeated the lawyer. "Why, do you know him?"

"Know him?" went on Jerry, jumping up in his excitement. "Why he is in the next room this very minute! Well of all the strange pieces of luck!"

Then they all tried to tell the lawyer at once the story of the hermit and his son, making such a jumble that the attorney had to beg them to stop, while he listened to one at a time. Finally the tale was related, and the boys and the professor as well, greatly excited, paused to see what the lawyer would say.

"Then I don't see any further trouble to your getting possession of the mine," said the attorney. "If Mr. Bell is on your side, and you make a joint application to the court or even to the government agent, I am sure you will be given instant charge of the claim."

"There is only one difficulty," said Mr. Snodgrass. "Mr. Bell is wounded. His mind was not strong before the shooting, and it may be altogether gone when he recovers consciousness. In that case--?"

"In that case I'm afraid you are as badly off as before," finished the lawyer.

The door to the inner room, where Mr. Bell was in the bunk, opened, and Tommy came out, looking worried.

"Is he worse, Tommy?" asked the professor.

"He's acting very queer," replied the boy. "He is sitting up in bed, and is trying to get something out from under his shirt. He's talking something about a mine."

"He is probably delirious," said Mr. Snodgrass. "We must have a doctor. I'm afraid it looks bad for us, boys."

At that instant the form of Mr. Bell, weak and tottering, showed in the doorway. He seemed greatly excited.

"There you are!" he cried tearing open his shirt and throwing a bundle, done up in oiled silk on the table. "There are the papers. There are the proofs to the mine. The gang did not get them after all!"

"Calm yourself," spoke Mr. Snodgrass, in a soothing tone that one uses to sick children or fever patients.

"I'm all right!" exclaimed Mr. Bell. "Don't think I'm crazy. I was a little off my head, but the wound the bullet gave me, and the blood I lost, accomplished just what was needed. There, I tell you, are the papers proving my claim to the mine."

"What mine?" asked the professor, while the others waited in anxiety for the answer.

"The mine we were going to," responded the old man. "From the description you boys gave of it I recognize it as the same one I have more than a half share in. All the way up here I was trying to recall when I had been here before. I recognized the places, but my mind would not serve me. I had suffered so much that I was almost crazy. Then came the shot, and I did not know anything more, until I just woke up in that room, and remembered all about it. Now we will beat that gang."

"Hurrah!" cried Jerry, seizing Ned by the arms and starting to dance a hornpipe.

"Are you sure you can not be mistaken about the mine?" asked Mr. Snodgrass, for it seemed hardly possible that the old hermit, whom they had rescued, should turn out to be the much-wanted missing owner.

"There are the papers, you can see for yourself," replied Mr. Bell.

The lawyer, at a sign from the professor, made a careful examination of the documents.

"They seem to be all right," he said. "I have no doubt but that you can fully establish your claim, Mr. Bell."

"It isn't my claim, sir."

"Why I thought you said--"

"Everything I have or own is the property of these noble boys and Professor Snodgrass," went on the former hermit. "They saved my life, and that of my son's. If I gave them a hundred mines I could not repay them."

"But we do not want your share," said Mr. Snodgrass.

"It don't make any difference what you want, you've got to take it," said Mr. Bell, firmly.

"We can settle that part later," put in the lawyer. "The thing to do now is to get possession of the mine. If you wish I will act for you."

"Of course we want you to," said Jerry.

"Very well. I will take these papers, and go to court with them. If I am successful, as I have no doubt I shall be, I will apply to the sheriff to oust the crowd that is in charge of the mine. Then you and Mr. Bell can take possession."

"That's the way to talk!" fairly yelled Nestor, who was anxious to get back to the "diggings."

The lawyer was hurried back to town in the auto. Nothing could be done that afternoon, as the court was closed. He promised to be on hand early in the morning.

The boys could hardly sleep that night. Mr. Bell seemed to have fully recovered, and, beyond a slight pain where the bullet had hit him, he did not suffer. It was late when they went to bed, and somewhat late when they arose.

"I'm going into town and see what's doing," said Jerry after breakfast.

"So am I," cried Ned and Bob.

"Better not," went on Jerry. "If I have to bring back the lawyer, and the sheriff and some of his deputies to read the riot act to the gang, I'll need all the room there is."

So Jerry went off alone in the car. He did not find the lawyer in, but the attorney's clerk said he was at court.

"I'll wait until he comes back," said Jerry, and he sat down in the office. Two hours later, the lawyer came in.

"What luck?" asked Jerry.

"The very best. I have a peremptory order commanding that crowd to turn the mine over to your party and Mr. Bell. Come on, we'll get the sheriff and finish the thing right up."

The sheriff was only too glad of a chance for some activity. He and three deputies, well armed, got into the car, and Jerry started off. To the boy the machine never seemed to move so slowly, but several times one of the deputies threatened to jump out if the auto did not slacken up a bit.

Arriving at the cabin, Nestor, the two boys, and Professor Snodgrass were found anxiously waiting.

"Now for the mine!" cried Jerry, as he rapidly explained the success of the mission.

"Wait till I get my gun," said Nestor.

"No shooting unless we have to," warned the sheriff.

Then they advanced on the mine. An eighth of a mile away they were halted by a guard. But an order from the sheriff, and a sight of the command from the court, made the guard give in, and he was sent back to the cabin, in custody of one of the deputies.

Then, without any warning, the party descended on the others of the gang, who were all gathered in the main cabin at dinner.

At first it looked as if there was going to be trouble. Several made an attempt to get their guns, but Nestor, the sheriff, and his man, had covered them, and they saw that the game was up.

"I'll read you this court order," said the sheriff.

"You needn't bother," spoke the leader, whom the boys recognized as one of the men who had held Tommy a captive. Others in the gang were recognizable as men who had tried to capture Mr. Bell at Lost Lake.

"We played a bold game, but we lost," said the leader, as he and his companions, gathering up their baggage, left the cabin, and made their way toward town. They did not go there, however,--since they feared further proceedings,--and were never heard of again.

"Hurrah, now we have our mine back again!" cried Jerry. "I wonder if it is paying?"

"Better than ever, by the looks of this stuff," answered Jim Nestor, picking up some newly-mined ore that lay on ground. "No wonder that crowd wanted to keep possession of the mine."

There followed a general jollification. The boys got up a fine dinner, at which the sheriff, his men, and the lawyer were guests. An arrangement was made whereby Mr. Bell should retain a large interest in the mine, while the other share was divided between our friends as before. The lawyer received a generous fee, and the sheriff and his men were not forgotten.

"Well," said Jerry, a week later, "we came out all right, didn't we? I presume our adventures are all over now."

"Don't be too sure," put in Bob. "Something else may turn up soon." And Bob was right, as we shall learn in another volume, to be called, "The Motor Boys Afloat; Or, The Stirring Cruise of the _Dartaway_," a tale of land and sea.

The days to follow were busy ones for Jim Nestor and the boys. The mine was started up in better shape than ever before, new machinery put in, and extra workmen engaged. Letters were sent to the boys' folks, telling of all that had happened.

"I want to say one thing," said Jerry, one day. "And that is, that it feels mighty good to be back in the United States again."

"Exactly what I say," returned Ned.

"Right you are," came from Chunky. He rubbed his hands together. "And as we are back, and all is well, why--er--let us have some dinner."

And then, with a merry laugh at the lad who never wanted to miss a meal, the others followed Chunky to the table; and here as they sit down to a well-earned repast, we will take our departure.

THE END.

_The Motor Boys Series_

(_Trade Mark, Reg. U. S. Pat. Of._)

_By Clarence Young_

=Cloth. 12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid=

THE MOTOR BOYS _Or, Chums Through Thick and Thin_

In this volume is related how the three boys got together and planned to obtain a touring car and make a trip lasting through the summer.

THE MOTOR BOYS OVERLAND _Or, A Long Trip for Fun and Fortune_

With the money won at the great motorcycle race the three boys purchase their touring car and commence their travels.

THE MOTOR BOYS IN MEXICO _Or, The Secret of the Buried City_

From our own country the scene is shifted to Mexico, where the motor boys journey in quest of a city said to have been buried centuries ago by an earthquake.

THE MOTOR BOYS ACROSS THE PLAINS _Or, The Hermit of Lost Lake_

Unraveling the mystery surrounding an old hermit and a poor boy.

THE MOTOR BOYS AFLOAT _Or, The Stirring Cruise of the Dartaway_

In this volume the boys take to a motorboat, and have many adventures.

THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE ATLANTIC _Or, The Mystery of the Lighthouse_

How the lads foiled the bad men who wanted to wreck a steamer by means of false lights is dramatically related.

THE MOTOR BOYS IN STRANGE WATERS _Or, Lost in a Floating Forest_

Telling of many adventures in the mysterious Everglades of Florida.

THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE PACIFIC _Or, The Young Derelict Hunters_

The derelict was of great value, and the hunt for it proved full of perils.

THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE CLOUDS _Or, A Trip for Fame and Fortune_

The boys fall in with an inventor and invest in a flying machine. After a number of stirring adventures in the clouds they enter a big race.

CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK

* * * * * *

Transcriber's note:

--Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.

--Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.

--Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.